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Profiles of Peer Competence in the Preschool: Interrelations Between Measures, Influence of Social Ecology, and Relation to Attachment History

Profiles of Peer Competence in the Preschool: Interrelations Between Measures, Influence of... Forty 4- to 5-year-old first-born children in two preschool groups, differing markedly in terms of classroom ecology (class size, number of children with behavior problems), were observed throughout a school year. Peer competence was assessed via (a) teacher rankings of social competence, (b) peer sociometrics, and behavioral measures of (c) social participation, (d) attention structure and (e) social dominance. Also, rates of positive and negative affect, affiliation, leadership, assertiveness, and aggression were recorded in two different settings. Individual rates of affective expression and social behavior were temporally stable and consistent across contexts for both classes. However, patterns of intercorrelations revealed substantial differences between the behavioral ecologies of the two classes. Teacher judgments and peer sociometrics were most robust with respect to these ecological influences and most consistently related to external criteria. Finally, two dimensions of peer competence were evident: (a) an affiliative dimension characterized by emotional warmth, social maturity, and peer popularity and (b) a power dimension involving positive and negative affect and high peer status. Children with secure attachment histories were higher on the affiliative dimension, whereas anxious-resistant children were lowest in peer status. These results were especially evident for girls. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Developmental Psychology American Psychological Association

Profiles of Peer Competence in the Preschool: Interrelations Between Measures, Influence of Social Ecology, and Relation to Attachment History

LaFreniere, Peter J.; Sroufe, L. Alan
Developmental Psychology , Volume 21 (1): 14 – Jan 1, 1985
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References (26)

Publisher
American Psychological Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 American Psychological Association
ISSN
0012-1649
eISSN
1939-0599
DOI
10.1037/0012-1649.21.1.56
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Forty 4- to 5-year-old first-born children in two preschool groups, differing markedly in terms of classroom ecology (class size, number of children with behavior problems), were observed throughout a school year. Peer competence was assessed via (a) teacher rankings of social competence, (b) peer sociometrics, and behavioral measures of (c) social participation, (d) attention structure and (e) social dominance. Also, rates of positive and negative affect, affiliation, leadership, assertiveness, and aggression were recorded in two different settings. Individual rates of affective expression and social behavior were temporally stable and consistent across contexts for both classes. However, patterns of intercorrelations revealed substantial differences between the behavioral ecologies of the two classes. Teacher judgments and peer sociometrics were most robust with respect to these ecological influences and most consistently related to external criteria. Finally, two dimensions of peer competence were evident: (a) an affiliative dimension characterized by emotional warmth, social maturity, and peer popularity and (b) a power dimension involving positive and negative affect and high peer status. Children with secure attachment histories were higher on the affiliative dimension, whereas anxious-resistant children were lowest in peer status. These results were especially evident for girls.

Journal

Developmental Psychology – American Psychological Association

Published: Jan 1, 1985

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